Pump



June 12, 1934. w. A. OBANNON PUMP Filed June 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet June 12, 1934. w. A. O'BANNON PUMP Filed June 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet gnvc/wl oz Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a low capacity pumping device which is primarily adapted for use in raising oil and other fluids from wells after the wells have decreased in production through age.

As wells grow older, the quantity of oil which they will produce generally becomes considerably diminished and therefore a smaller size of tubing might readily accommodate the reduced flow, as compared with the larger size necessary to handle the flow from a new well. However, it is impracticable to take out the original tubing and replace it with tubing of smaller size because of the great expense involved, especially in very deep wells, but it is entirely feasible and practicable toreplace the high capacity pump used when the well is comparatively new and the production large, by a pump of low capacity which is ample to accommodate the reduced flow.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a low capacity pump which may be run in the well on the sucker rods in place of the customary valve stem and traveling valve which are used in conjunction with a plain or regular working barrel.

Another object of the invention is to minimize the action of sand and grit on the pump parts, thereby insuring longer life of the pump.

A still further object is to provide a pump in which the plunger is packed off, the packing and associated parts of the pump being so arranged as to cause the pressure of the fluid column above the pump to be exerted on the packing to compress the same.

The invention also contemplates the arrangement of the pump parts so that the internal diameter of the plunger casing may be very little larger than the plunger diameter to minimize the accumulation of gas which might have a detrimental influence on the pumping action.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

traveling valve, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is a detail view of a seating nipple which may be used in lieu of the common working barrel for seating the plunger barrel;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a pump similar to; Figure 1, showing the same provided with an attachment for use in eliminating the effect of sand on the pump parts when sand is present in any appreciable quantity;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the attachment; and

Figure 6A is a fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of the pump.

Like reference characters designate corresponding .parts in the several figures. of the drawings.

The pump, generally denoted 1 in Figure 1 includes a sectional or separable tubular casing 2, the lower section 3 being joinedto an upper packing oif section 4 by a suitable connecting bushing 5. Positioned within the casing is a reciprocable tubular plunger 6 having at its upper extremity a valve 7 and cooperating replaceable seat 8, this valve being hereinafter re: ferred to as the traveling valve, the plunger also being preferably provided at its lower extremity with an auxiliary or supplemental valve 9 and seat 10 to prevent gas lock.

Located in the upper casing section 4 and intermediate the casing and the plunger 6, is the packing 11. which is preferably spirally disposed about the plunger and provided with suitable loose follower rings 12 and 13 at the upper and lower ends thereof. The faces of the follower rings engaging the extremities of the packing are preferably beveled as at 14 and 15 to prevent the feathered ends from working down along the plunger as the plunger reciprocates. The beveled faces thereby wedge or throw the packing away from contact with the plunger at the ends of the packing, said packing ends being preferably featheredout to evenly distribute the same and prevent undue pressure from being thrown against one side of the plunger. A spring 16 is positioned intermediate the upper follower ring 12 and an upper bushing 17 to normally maintain the packing under compression. This prevents the packing and followers from moving up in the casing before any fluid has been raised above the pump by the pumping action.

The upper end of the plunger is provided with a crown 19 for the traveling valve '7 having discharge ports 20 and a connection 21 for engagement with the sucker rods. The-bushing 17 secured to the upper extremity of the pump casing constitutes a guide for the plunger in its reciprocal movements, and is provided with transverse or lateral passageways 23 to permit the passage of the pumped fluid into the casing. The upper bushing 17 may be provided with longitudinal grooves to permit the fluid to pass downwardly about the plunger to exert the pressure of the fluid column on the upper follower ring. Thus, after the pump has raised a column of fluid in the tubing above the pump, the weight of the column will be exerted on the pump packing to compress the same, this pressure being considerably greater than that exerted by the spring, the latter being effective, practically speaking, only before the fluid column is built up. Obviously, the pressure exerted on the packing by the fluid column will be proportional to its height above the pump.

The lower extremity of the pump casing is provided with a standing valve 25 and associated seat 26 and the lower portion of the casing is also sealed with respect to the working barrel b means of the usual and conventional cups 27, preferably positioned just below the packingoff section so as to seal off the casing at the upper end of the common working barrel on which the pump seats and into which the lower portion of the pump extends, to prevent the fluid from working past the pump casing intermediate the pump and the working barrel.

The pump is adapted to be seated in the upper end of a common working barrel 29 carried by the lower extremity of the well tubing 30 and results in a pumping outfit of considerably less capacity than that of a plain working barrel. To properly seat the pump in the upper end of the working barrel, the lower connecting bushing 5 is provided with a lateral seating shoulder 28.

'When gas conditions permit, the auxiliary traveling valve 9 may be removed and the same replaced by a guide member 31 which is adapted to be secured to the lower extremity of the plunger 6.

Instead of using the common working barrel for seating the plunger barrel, a short length of working barrel tube forming a seating nipple 32 (see Fig. 4) may be employed by separating theworking barrel from the tubing at the coupling 35 and inserting the nipple between the same. The pump will then seat on the upper end of the nipple and the working barrel will be extended lower into the well. This is desirable when the level of the oil at'the bottom of the well has been lowered.

The standing valve seat frame 34 may also be provided with suitable threaded connections to take a gas anchor when it is desired to use the same.

The exterior surface of the plunger is preferably highly polished to reduce friction and wear to a minimum, and if desired, this surface maybe plated with chromium which would materially increase the life of the plunger because of its resistance to corrosion and materially reduce the friction. Likewise the packing followers may be machined from suitable anti-friction metal or plated with chromium to reduce friction and wear.

The operation of the pump shown in Figures 1 to 4 should be apparent from the foregoing and may be briefly summarized as follows: the pump is lowered in the tubing by the usual sucker rods until seated in the upper end of. the working barrel, whereupon reciprocation of the plunger will cause the fluid to be raised from the well and discharged into the tubing. On the up stroke of the plunger, the fluid will raise the standing valve 25 and enter the pump casing. On the down stroke, the standing valve closes and the fluid in the casing passes through the auxiliary traveling valve 9, if such is employed, and enters the plunger 6, a portion of the fluid passing through the plunger and traveling valve 7 into the tubing above the pump. The next up stroke closes the valve 9 and raises the fluid trapped in the plunger, concurrently with which, more fluid is entering the pump casing through the standing valve. On the next down stroke, the fluid which was raised by the plunger will be discharged through the traveling valve 7 and the discharge ports 20 into the tubing as the additional fluid which was previously raised into the pump casing is transferred into the plunger. Repetition of this cycle produces a flow of the fluid through the well tubing of a sumcient quantity to accommodate a reduced production of the well which has been caused by age.

When the auxiliary traveling valve is notused and has been replaced by the guide bushing 31, the standing valve is raised on the up stroke of the plunger and fluid passes into the pump casing. the plunger closes the standingvalve and transfers the fluid into the plunger, whereupon the traveling valve 7 is forced up which permits the fluid to be discharged into the well tubing through the ports 20. closes the traveling valve and opens the standing valve to take in more fluid into the pump.

By virtue of the compression of the packing by the fluid column in the tubing and the close fitting follower, part 12, sand and grit are ordinarily prevented from Working downwardly intermediate the packing and the plunger and unduly wearing the same.

However, if sand is present in any appreciable quantity, it is desirable to use the attachment shown in Figures 5, 6, and 6A. By removing the guide bushing 17 and substituting therefor the connecting bushing 36, a pump barrel or casing extension 37 may be attached. Likewise, a valve stem is attached to the upper extremity of the plunger 6 and constitutes a continuation of the plunger. The connection of the valve stem with the plunger is made through a closed crown 39 of a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the barrel extension 37, this being for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The upper extremity of the barrel extension 37 is provided with a guide bushing 40 having lateral passages 41 and longitudinal grooves 42 similar to the guide bushing 17 in Figures 1 and 2. The valve stem 38 is provided at its upper end with a suitable sucker rod connection 43 and discharge ports 44 somewhat similar to those provided by crown 19 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is to be understood that the lower portion of the pump below connecting bushing 36 shown in Figures 5 to 6A is the same as the lower portion of the pump below guide bushing 17 as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

In operation with the attachment applied, the pumping action is the same as hereinbefore described, the fluid being discharged into the well tubing above the pump and traveling valve through ports 44 as distinguished from being discharged through the open traveling valve crown 19. 1 r

The following down stroke of The next up stroke iii) To compress the pump packing in the packing-off section 4, the fluid enters the passages 41 and passes through the grooves 42 into the space between the valve stem 38 and pump barrel extension 37, whereupon it passes downwardly about the plunger 6 intermediate the plunger and bushing 36 and into the packingoff section, the bushing having a working fit with the plunger for this purpose. Thus the pressure of the fluid column in the well tubing above the pump may be exerted on the packing for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned.

By using the attachment there is practically no tendency for sand or grit to enter the pump since after the fluid has filled the space 44, reciprocation of the plunger merely transfers the fluid back and forth within the space 44 from above the closed crown to below the same and vice versa, the same fluid remaining within the space. The crown 39 thus acts as a plunger head for transferring the fluid back and forth to opposite sides of the same. The sand and grit are thus effectively prevented from settling down to the packing.

While the specific details of construction have been herein shown and described the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for fluid pumps of the class described, including a pump barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein, a traveling valve in said plunger, and packing means intermediate the said plunger and barrel, which comprises a pump barrel extension adapted to be secured to the upper end of the pump barrel, a hollow tubular valve stem adapted to be connected with the said reciprocable plunger, said stem being in spaced relation to and extending longitudinally within the pump barrel extension, a closed valve crown for said traveling valve interposed between said valve stem and plunger and constituting the connection between the stem and plunger, said valve stem having a sucker rod connection and discharge ports at the upper extremity thereof, and a guide bushing at the upper end of said pump barrel extension, said bushing having fluid passages therein to admit fluid discharged i'rom the pump into the space between the stem and pump barrel extension, the valve crown being so arranged as to cause the fluid in said space to be oscillated to opposite sides of said crown incident to reciprocation of said plunger, and said packing means being maintained in compressed condition by the pressure exerted by said fluid in said pump barrel extension.

2. In a pump of the class described, a pump barrel, a hollow plunger reciprocable therein, a traveling valve in said plunger and packing means intermediate the said plunger and barrel, a pump barrel extension secured to the upper end of said pump barrel, a hollow tubular valve stem connecting the reciprocable plunger to operate the same, said stem being in spaced relation to and extending longitudinally Within the pump barrel extension, an enlarged closed valve crown for said traveling valve intermediate said valve stem and plunger, said valve stem having a sucker rod connection and discharge ports at the upper extremity thereof, a guide bushing at the upper end of said barrel extension, said bushing having fluid inlet passages therein to admit fluid discharged from the pump into the space between the stem and pump barrel extension, said valve crown being arranged to cause the fluid in said space to be oscillated to opposite sides of the crown incident to reciprocation of the plunger.

3. In a pump of the class described, a pump casing adapted to be seated in a well, and comprising a lower pump cylinder, an intermediate packing chamber and an upper fluid chamber having a fluid inlet port, a hollow reciprocable pump plunger extending through said fluid chamber, said packing chamber and into said pump cylinder, means on said plunger to agitate the fluid within said fluid chamber upon reciprocation of the plunger, a valve carried by said plunger and a standing valve in said pump cylinder.

4. In a deep well pump of the class described, a casing adapted to be seated in the upper end of a working barrel, a standing valve in said casing, a pump plunger in said casing, packing means between the plunger and casing, a fluid chamber formed in said casing above the packing having a fluid port for admitting fluid to said packing to compress the same, and having a fluid inlet port to admit the fluid being pumped to the chamber, said pump plunger passing through the chamber and having fluid agitating means therein to keepthe fluid in said chamber in agitation upon reciprocation of said pump plunger.

WALTER A. OBANNON. 

